ALEXEI'S POV.

I reeled backwards, torn between shock and disbelief. The more I watched Brandon and Freida kissing, the more I wished for it to be nothing more than a bad dream.

I had probably fallen asleep somewhere and was having a nightmare. Any moment now, I would wake up.

I shut my eyes tightly for a full second. Even as I pried my eyes open, I knew deep in my heart that this wasn't a dream. It was happening right now and I couldn't understand it no matter how much I thought about it.

Why? Why was Brandon with Freida? Why was he kissing her? Why was she allowing him to?

After what felt like an infinity, they finally pulled away from each other. There was a shared smile on both their faces.

My heart broke at the sight of that smile.

"I am so happy that I finally get to kiss you the way I have been fantasizing about all day long," Brandon sighed the words against Freida's lips, causing her to giggle.

"Really?" she asked. "You know, I thought you had forgotten all about me, judging by the way you were doting on Alexei."

"That was just an act," Brandon said, rolling his eyes. "You and I both know that I don't love her. You're the one I love."

What? That was impossible. There was no way this was true.

Brandon had stayed with me all through father's funeral. He had stayed by my side, giving me the solid support that I so desperately needed. Hell, my body still recalled how tightly he had hugged me and kissed me.

There was no way anyone was that good of an actor. I refused to believe that all of it had been an act.

Flummoxed, I watched as Freida's lips curved upwards in a cruel smile. Who was this stranger right now? Where was the Freida I had known for years?

"I am glad to hear that you've never actually loved my sister," she continued. "So, does this mean that you're willing to help me in getting rid of her?"

Brandon gripped Freida's arms, pulling her closer to him. "You and I both know that I would do anything for you. You only need to say the word."

"I am going to kill Alexei," Freida stated matter-of-factly. "I plan to be alpha of Ash moon pack in her stead. Frankly, I deserve it more, but then, it is no secret that the old man had always favoured his biological daughter more."

Old man. She was talking about father.

How could she stand to talk about him that way?

He may not have been her biological father, but he had loved her and given her a great life.

"Alpha Rowan," Brandon sneered at the mention of the late alpha. "He never thought of me as good enough for his so-called heir. He may have granted us his blessings but I could tell that he didn't like me. Honestly, I am glad he is finally dead. I am glad we finally have a chance to steal everything from right under Alexei's nose."

"It is all thanks to mother," Freida beamed. "She had been poisoning alpha Rowan in small portions for several months."

"Really? I thought he had died naturally from illness." Brandon chuckled.

"No. Mother made it happen. And now, in order for me to take everything from Alexei, I am going to need you to keep deceiving her with her charming lies, and then, right before her birthday, I want you to slip this vial of wolfsbane into her drink. With this amount, it would kill her without hesitation."

Freida pulled a shiny vial out of her bodice, raising it up to the moonlight. It was silver and looked lethal – the stuff my nightmares were made of.

Startled at the sight of the poison, I took a couple of steps backwards. Without meaning to, I stepped on a branch. The branch cracked loudly, drawing Brandon's and Freida's attentions to me.

Almost in slow motion, they both looked in my direction and I could almost hear their sharp intakes of breath as they discovered me hiding behind a tree.

In that moment, it was almost as if time had come to a still.

After that, it all happened so fast.

With my heart racing, I turned on my heels and broke into a run, desperate to escape whatever horror my mate and my step-sister had in store for me.

I couldn't believe that luna Mya had murdered my father. He had loved her deeply, yet she had betrayed him. The worst part of all was the fact that Freida had known about it.

ALEXEI'S POV

And then, there was Brandon.

His betrayal hurt the most. To think that he had never loved me even for a second caused angry tears to spring to my eyes.

The tears blurred my vision as I ran.

A moment later, strong arms wrapped around my waist, zapping me off the ground.

It was Brandon. I could smell him, even though I couldn't see him.

I didn't think I wanted to see him. I was afraid that if I got to look him in the eye right now, I would cry so much, I would never be able to stop.

"Let go of me!" I screamed, thrashing against his hold. In response, Brandon covered my mouth with his arm, blocking my voice.

He pulled me back into the garden – back to where Freida was waiting for me.

She was still holding up the vial of wolfsbane. There was a murderous glint in her eyes as she appraised me closely.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here."

Brandon lowered me down to my knees, stepping behind me.

Tears rolled down my cheeks. My shoulders trembled with the effort it took for me to keep my sobs at bay.

"I am surprised you of all people would go for a late night stroll in the gardens," she mused, lowering down to the ground. I tried to lean away from her but there was no where to go.

"If only you hadn't eavesdropped, I wouldn't have to kill you right here, right now. But maybe this is the moon goddess's will after all – to remove you from my path sooner than expected."

With every word that Freida spoke, she ran her fingers along the curve of my neckline, tracing the shape of it.

I tried to scream but my voice was muffled by Brandon's steely grip. All I could do was watch helplessly as Freida pulled the vial open and gestured for Brandon to tilted my head upwards.

NO.

It was all happening way too fast. There was no way I was going to die right now. It felt wrong, like I was watching this horror scene happening to someone else.

Unfortunately, this wasn't a scene out of a horror movie. This was my life. And I was fucked.

I had no way of yelling out for help. There was no way for me to escape.

No one was coming to save me.

It was all over.

Brandon's hands were warm on the back of my neck as he forced my lips apart.

I spluttered, making incoherent sounds. My eyes twitched with fear as I watched Freida tilt the vial.

"Say hi to the old man for me, sister," she said, right as the wolfsbane began to trickle down my throat.

The burn of it was immediate. It was deathly painful and unlike anything I had ever experienced. Within seconds, I could feel my insides burning up and melting off.

It felt like being locked in a room full of fire, with no way to get out.

The pain may have lasted a few minutes. It may have been an hour. But by the time Brandon let go of me, I could no longer feel my insides.

My eyes were empty as I crashed to the ground.

Dead.

***

I felt a pair of cold hands on my cheeks. The sharp iciness of the smooth flesh forced my eyes open, bringing me in contact with a pair of haunting black eyes. They seemed endless, like staring into a dark orbit. At the same time, those eyes, they were easily the most beautiful pair of eyes I had ever seen.

"Hello child," she spoke in a cool voice that was as ethereal as it was soothing. The more I stared into her eyes, the more I felt like I knew her. There was this otherworldly sense of recognition I felt. It took me a few moments more before I finally succeeded in connecting the dots.

"Moon goddess!" I exclaimed. My voice was hoarse and heavy with unshed tears. Mostly, I was heartbroken, overwhelmed by the depths of betrayal I had suffered from the people I trusted the most.

I kept hoping that it was all a bad dream. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

I was dead. Murdered by my sister and my mate.

The worse part of it all was how I never even saw it coming.

One minute, Brandon had been all over me, professing his love. The next moment, he was holding me down with an alien cruelty, watching as the vial of wolfsbane killed me from the inside out.

Why had he been so hellbent to kill me? What did I do wrong?

The moon goddess wiped the tears away from my eyes, holding me with a fondness that made me cry harder.

"None of this is fair, moon goddess," I wept. "I don't deserve to die this way."

"I understand the way you feel. You feel betrayed and cheated out of a great life. I am sorry Alexei but this is how it ends for some of my children. They show up at my door either poisoned or mangled."

I shook my head fiercely. "No. I refuse for things to end this way. This can't be it. I want answers. I want a chance to avenge my father's death. I want a chance to make my so-called family pay for killing him. I wish above all to protect his legacy. Please goddess, give me another chance. I vow to do everything in my power to make you proud. Please."

I pleaded and wept at her feet, desperate for her mercy.

"Child," the moon goddess raised my chin, so I could get a good look at her. She was smiling and staring at me with fondness. "Let it be unto you according to the desires of your heart."

With that said, she reached out and pushed me backwards.

***

I woke up with a start. Gripped with a mind-numbing sense of fear, I jerked upwards, hellbent to hide – to save myself from the garden and the wolfsbane.

It took me a full ten seconds to realize that I was no longer in the garden. I actually happened to be in my bedroom. In my bed.

I wrapped my hands around my throat, waiting to feel the deadly burn of wolfsbane.

It never came.

The only thing that came was a loud knock on my door.

A moment later, the door burst open and Freida came racing in. She was in her night dress. But that wasn't what caught my attention.

It was the huge grin on her face.

She looked sweet and innocent and for a crazy moment, I wondered if I had imagined everything that had happened between us in the garden.

"Oh finally, you're awake," Freida gushed, jumping on my bed and taking me by surprise. "You should get ready. Father is already in the throne room. He's got an important announcement to make."

"What?" I hissed, holding my breath.

It couldn't be. There was no way any of this was possible. There was no way the moon goddess had actually granted my request.

"Don't tell me you forgot all about the important announcement today. Father is going to be pissed."

"What announcement?" I asked her, doing everything in my power to hide the disgust I felt at the sight of her face.

"Father will be announcing his heir today. I can't believe you forgot all about that."

Freida huffed, finally getting off my bed. "I know you're used to breaking the rules and getting away with it, but not today Alexei. Get ready and come down to the throne room."

With that, she sauntered out of my room, closing the door behind her.

My heart was racing as I reached for the calendar on my dresser, confirming my suspicions.

I had indeed travelled back three months into the past.

The moon goddess had taken pity upon me and granted me a second chance to live and exert revenge on the two people, who had broken my trust.

It all began now.

I could hardly wait.

ALEXEI'S POV

Today was the day that father announced me as his successor. The heir apparent of Ash moon pack.

In my past life, I had be overjoyed by father's announcement. Naive and ignorant about the enemies I had made as a result.

Freida had squealed in false cheer, hugging me tightly. Luna Mya had smiled at me, giving me a soft pat on the back.

How had I not been able to see their loathing, shimmering right beneath the surface of their fake smiles?

How could I have been so blind to it?

It was a good thing that I knew better. It was almost as if I could see everyone in a new light. It made it so much easier to sift out false reactions from the fake ones.

The throne room was packed full of pack members and elders. Father sat on his custom high backed seat, observing the assembled crowd with an air of polite rigidity.

From my place next to his seat, I studied my step mother and sister closely.

They looked normal enough. Calm and collected in their pristine designer outfits.

Freida had an easy smile on her heart shaped face.

Honestly, if I hadn't witnessed her shoving that vial of wolfsbane down my throat, and overhearing what she had said about Luna Mya having a hand in father's death, I could easily have believed that all of it had been nothing more than a bad nightmare.

How could I not, when she had such a sweet smile on her face?

Luna Mya was no better. She was seated next to father at the top of the room and kept shooting him little adoring looks.

I felt bile rise in my throat and clenched my fists to keep it at bay.

Just then, Freida looked in my direction. She locked eyes with me.

Her lips twitched in amusement as she raised her fingers to me in a small wave.

I swallowed the thickness in my throat and looked away from her.

I had to find a way to get through this. No matter how much I wanted to lash out at these selfish, two-faced monsters, I needed to reel it in.

If I caused a scene right now, there was no way to prove any accusations I threw at Freida and the Luna.

Frankly, there was a high chance that it could come back to bite me in the ass.

A few more minutes passed by, characterized by numbing chatter. Finally, father got down to it- addressing the business for which everyone had gathered.

It was just like the last time.

He gave a small speech about how he'd built Ash moon from the ground, right alongside my mother. Then, he acknowledged the pack's numerous wins over the years. The booming businesses. Our vast lands. Our numbers.

He also highlighted our weaknesses when it came to military numbers and defense mechanisms.

"Ash moon needs a leader backed by the light and approval of the moon goddess. The goddess searches all of our hearts and understands our capabilities more than we could ever imagine."

Father's tone carried through the room with the force of one that longed to lift a heavy burden off his chest.

My heart clenched with nerves as he finally announced my name.

The silence that filled the room was quiet and reverberating. It stretched, filling my ear with white noise.

It was just like last time. Everyone was shocked by father's announcement.

It was quite apparent that they had been counting on Freida being announced as heir.

She was the popular choice, afterall.

She was stronger than me.

She had a wolf and encompassed an aura I was only beginning to realize was fake.

Watching her poison me in the gardens convinced me that her so-called aura was nothing to be fascinated by. It was nothing more than an empty shell etched in darkness.

The silence that had met father's announcement was soon followed by an uncoordinated round of applause.

I remembered things going this way. Any moment now, Freida would come running in my direction.

She would throw her arms around me in a hug and congratulate me in front of everyone.

And then, Luna Mya could pay shoulder in a fake show of maternal love and support.

The first time they had done it, I had been greatly moved and highly emotional.

Now, the thought of their presence, surrounding me, made my skin crawl.

I needed to find a way to avoid it.

Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea if I ran away?

I wondered how much such a small glitch in my predesigned story would change my fate.

Without thinking, I withdrew from the crowd, taking a few steps backwards.

Father's eyebrows drew together by my sudden movements backwards. He gave me a questioning look, unsure of how to interpret my abrupt reaction.

I ignored his look and spurn around on my feet. Without a care for what anyone had to say, I did the first thing that came to mind.

I made my escape from the throne room.

I shot past the double doors and burst into the hallway. I had merely made it a few steps when I slammed face first into a hard wall.

Only it wasn't a wall.

It was a broad, strong chest.

Equally strong arms reached out to wrap around my waist, halting my fall.

I inhaled a sharp breath as I was brought flush against the full length of my rescuer.

I locked gazes with a pair of eyes that were almost identical to mine, and instantly, my face drained of colour.

My blood ran cold, causing a shiver of sheer terror to course down the length of my spine.

Brandon gave me the brightest smile he could muster, oblivious to my negative reaction to his touch- to his closeness.

"Careful darling," he snickered, bringing his face close to mine. "You could easily have hurt yourself. I guess it's a good thing you've got me to look after you."

He shot me a conspiratorial wink.

I didn't realize I was still holding my breath until I felt my head swim with a heavy wave of dizziness.